California job security going the wrong way, according to report

California unemployment rises in September: report

The rate of unemployment in California is about 5.6%, with tech and entertainment seeing large cuts.

OAKLAND, Calif. - California is the state with the highest unemployment in the nation, and the gap between other area of the country is expanding

That's according to government figures reviewed by KTVU. The state is expected to officially publish its job report on Friday, but KTVU got an advanced look at the numbers.

Because the Federal Board of Labor Statistics has not reported overall numbers in months, this is the first detailed state report the public has had since mid-September. 

The numbers and the trends are not good and do not even cover October and November.

By the numbers:

Nationwide, just 4.4% percent unemployment; much lower than California. 

"5.6%; that the highest of all states. It's well above the national rate for September of four-point-four percent and, most importantly, we're going in the wrong direction. The gap between California and other states has continued to expand," said employment lawyer and former Employment Development Department Director Michael Bernick.

After four years of job growth, for the second straight month, California showed a combined job loss of 5,500 jobs. Two industries hit the hardest: technology and entertainment, where California has heavy concentrations of jobs.

Bernick said other key factors go to the very heart of California's complex job environment, with hiring, costs and employer liability. 

"Until we address that, I think we'll continue to have high unemployment," said Bernick.

Added to all of that, immigration, tariffs and artificial intelligence technologies are negatively affecting employment and continue to do so. So, odds are, that October's and November's job reports will not be encouraging.